Valve for generators



' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. W. PUFFER.

VALVE FOR GENERATORS.

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Patented May 24, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, L W PUPPER VALVE FOR GENERATORS.

Patentgd May 24, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER WINTHROP PUFFER, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE FOR GENERATORS.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,763, dated Miay24:, 1887.

Application filed January :22, 1855. Serial No. 153,636. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, LUTHER WIN'rHRor PUFFER,a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inValves for Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to the dischargevalves of generators or othervessels for the are thoroughly broken up and disturbed. Thus when thevalve is opened they are free and loose, and in readiness to pass offwith the discharge contents of the generator. By introducing thisfeature the valve, in lieu of being located at the opening or orificeleading from the generator, is seated upon the lower extremity of thebung connecting the valve-case with its generator.

My invention further embraces mechanical details of construction forpermitting of tightening ofthe cap of the stuffiug box in the manner ofconstructing and attaching the valvecase to the body of the generator,and in other minor features, to be hereinafter described. This manner ofconnecting the valve'case to thegenerator contains one feature whichIconsider of much importance, and it will readily be seen that,owing tothe position of the valve. with respect to the bung upon which it isseated no direct pressure from the generator is ever brought upon thevalve-case.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent,in Figure 1,avertical section of a valve containing my improvements. Figs. 2 and 3represent modified forms of the bung and differcntseating of the valve.Fig. 4 shows a still further modification. Fig. 5 represents the valveseated upon the inner extremity of the bushing, and Fig. 6 is aplanofthe agitator to be attached to the valve. Fig. 7 is a plan of theinner packing-nut and the wrench for securing it in position.

In Fig. l of such drawings the lower part of the shell ofthegeneratorisshown at A,aud the anti-corrosive lining thereof at B, a circularopening, 0, being formed in the bottom A, to permit of insertion of atubular plug or bung, D, as it is usually termed in these generators.This bung or tubular plug has a peripheral screw-thread,a,upon its lowerpart, which is adapted to screw into a female thread, I). in the mouth 0ofthe upper part ofthe valvecase. The bung D is inserted in the opening0, and its upper end is formed with an out standing peripheral ledge 07,which overlaps the edge of the mouth of the opening G,and is secured inplace by a mass of solder, e, floated between such ledge and a swelhf,in the lining B; or,for additional security,a nut, E, may be screwedupon the threaded shank a of the bung and against the bottom of thegenerator, as shown in the drawings.

The valve-seat is shown at g in Fig. 1 as formed upon the lower or outerextremity of the bung D. By this means all pressure direct from thegenerator is removed from the valve-case, while at the same time lessmovement of the valve is required in order to discharge the contents ofthe generator. Since the bung D is open, the sedimentary spent particlesin the generator are free to collect and lodge therein, caking together,and making it difficult to empty the vessel easily. To obviate thisdifficulty, I have disposed an agitator or clearer, A, which is securedto the valve between the outer and the inner extremity of the bun Thisagitator extends the entire length of saidbung, and is provided with ahead, a, formed with two radial arms, the distance from the tip of onearm to the tip of the other being about equal to the diameter of itsinclosingbun To compel rotation of this agitator orclearer with thevalve G, I have connected it with a screw-thread and.

cover of such box being shown at i.

pin. Thus upon turning thevalve-stem upon its thread the valve is forcedto rotate, carrying with it the agitator A, the radial arms of whichdisintegrate and break up the mass of spent particles which havecollected within the bore of the bung. Thus when the valve is opened,the particles are free to pass out with the refuse or discharge contentsof the generator.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the valve seat is an integral part of the bung,consisting in Fig. 3 of a simple annular interior shoulder, g, and inFig. 2 of an outward extension, 9, of such a shoulder. In the lattercase this supplementary ledge or extension 9 is concentric with thevalve-rod, and leaves a thin annular open space between it and the innerwall of the bung. The ledge 9, Fig. 2, is on the interior ofthe shallowmouth F of the bung and as near the upper ledge of the latter as isconsistent with proper strength, and the mouth F below the valveinereasesin diameter as it descends, in order, as before stated, toprevent lodgment of the spent products of the generator after the valvehas been opened; or, in lieu of making the valve-seatan integral part ofthe bung, as shown, it may be an independent ring screwed intothe mouthof the bung from above, as shown at N in Fig. 4 of the drawings, whichis a section of the parts. The valve, as shown at G, is a circular disksecured horizontally to the upper end of a vertical stem, H, said valveclosing upward against the seat 9.

The lower part of the valve-stem II is peripherally serew threaded,andscrews through a boss, I, in the lower part oi the'valve-case J, ahand-wheel, K, being secured to thelower extremity of said stem. Thevalveehamber It begins to enlarge immediately below the valve to affordample means of escape for the contents of the generator. I

The stuffing-box about the valve-stem is shown at L as a recessed bosserected upon the bottom of the valve-chamber, the cap or Thisstuffing-box effectually protects the screwthread of the valve-stem bypreventing access to such thread of the gritty material escaping fromthe generator. The valve is to be inserted in place and the cap 2'screwed down from the open mouth I? of the valve-case.

To enable the cap of the'stuffing-box L to be raised or lowered asoccasion requires, I form a series of teeth, j j, &c., upon theperiphery of the upper part of such caps, and I employ a spanner (shownat O) to engage these teeth; or the periphery of the caps may have aseries of peripheral pockets, or be otherwise roughened, to form a gripfor a wrench or spanner.

To provide an approach to the stuffing-box, to permit of introducing thespanner, or to inspect or refill such box, the out-let P of thevalve-case is placed to one side of the latter and'opposite the starling-box, By placing the valve and valve-seat immediately at the bottomof the generator, as explained, no considerable amount of sedimentary orsolid matter can remain over the valve-level, while, as hereinbeforestated, the contents of the generator exert their full pressure directlyupon the outlet, and the full escape of such contents upon the openingof the valve is insured. By placing the stuflingbox within thevalveca'se in lieu of upon the outside, as heretofore universallypracticed, the pressure of the escaping contents of the generator tendsto tighten, rather than to loosen, its cap, and in addition thescrew-thread of the valvestem is protected, as before stated.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the screw-thread of the valve-stem isprotected from the contents of the generator by means of a tubular boss,Z, depending from the valve and surrounding the valve-stem, this bosstelescoping with a tubular teat, m, erected upon the bot tom of thevalve case and closely fitting the valve stem. In this case thestuffing-box, if one is needed, may be placed outside of the valve-case,as shown in said Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings the bung D has an interior peripheralscrew-thread, 0, to receive a tubular neck, 1), east upon the upper partof the valve-case, the valve-seat in this instance being an interiorperipheral ledge, q, formed in the mouth of the said neck 1). In thisconnection it would be well to introduce a packing-ring, 9, between thelower end of the bung, and a shoulder, 8, east upon the base of the neck1), although this packing will not. be found absolutely necessary.

By placing the valveseat at the extreme upper part of the valve-ease, asshown, such case and its various joints are removed and relieved fromthe pressure upon the interior of the generator; hence the case may becast of less weight,.and danger of leakage of its joints prevented.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the valve seated upon the lower end of the bung,and since I have provided the valve with the agitator before describedthe objections which formerly occurred, owing to the spent particlescollecting and solidifying within the bung and upon the top of thevalve, and thereby preventing discharge, are entirely removed. Uponmovement of the valve similar motion is conveyed to the agitator, andthe result is that the particles are disturbed and loosenedsimultaneously upon the removal of the valve from its seat. Oneadvantage in this position of the valve is that a small movement of thevalve effects a full discharge, since the valve at once withdraws intothe enlarged portion of the valve-case.

Although I have shown a valve having its valve-seat at the extreme upperpart of the case and forming an integral part of the latter, in lieu ofits being on the bung, as in Fig. 1, with the valve closing upwardagainst such seat, still I do not desire to be limited to that precisemethod of operating this valve, inas much as there are some advantagesto be gained by having the valve close and rest upon the top or interioredge of the valve case, as shown in Fig. 5. Upon referring to Fig. 3 itis evident, in operating the valve to empty the generator, that it willbe necessary to retract the valve from its seat,through the neck of thevalve-case, until it has reached the enlarged chamber, forming part ofsaid case, before a full and free vent can be obtained through thedischarge-port; hence it is necessary for the operator to change theposition of the valve to a considerable extent. On the other hand, incase the valve is above the valve-seat, movement of the valve-stem needsto be but verysmall to open the port and effect a full discharge, sincethe valve moves upward into the interior of the generator, and there isno contracted neck through which the valve passes, and which preventsfree and full vent through the port uponavery slight movement of saidvalve.

A second advantage attained by the use of the valve in the position asshown in Fig. 5 is that with the same size valve-case a largerdischarge-port can be-employed, since inthe instance where the-valve isclosed upward against the valve-case the annular lip g has to be made ofsufficient depth to give the valve a proper beariugsnrface, and thedischarge-orifice is contracted thereby. On the other hand, thethickness of the valve-case proper affords a suitable bearing-surface orseat for the valve, and the annular projection (1 may be made very muchsmaller, or, if so desired, removed entirely, whereby the discharge-portis accordingly enlarged and an increased delivery socured, which is ofmuch advantage where the object to be obtainedis speed in emptying thevessel of its contents.

In each of the forms shown the bung serves as an outlet-passage,and alsopresents a val vcseat for the discharge-valve.

I clain 1. In a generator, the combination,with the valve andvalve-case, of a hung secured to the generator and adapted to engagewith saidvalvecase J, united with a hollow bung, D, U

secured to the generator A, the latter being closed by the valve F,seati n g on the bung,snb-

stantially as described.

3. A valve for soda-water apparatus, which consists of a tubular bungsecured to the outlet of a closed vessel, in combination'with a valveand valve-case, whereby the mouth of the bung constitutes the seat ofthe valve, sub stantially as herein shown. 7

4. The tubular bung constituting means for attaching the valve-casetothe generator and for closing the outlet of such generator, in combination with the valve and valve-case, whereby packing between the latterand the generator is dispensed with, substantially as described.

5. The tubular bung with the valveseat formed interiorly upon it, andthe outer peripheral ledge formed upon the bung to secure it to thegenerator, substantially as shown and described.

6. In combination with bung D, forming an outlet-passage from thegenerator and also a seat for the dischargevalve. the yalve-disk G, andthe agitator A,'the latter being provided with two radial arms,whichextend across the interior of saidbnng, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the stuffing-box and its cap, having an indentedperiphery, with a spanner adapted to takehold of said periphery,

LUTHER WINTHROP PUFFER.

Witnesses:

H. E. Lonen, A. F. HAYDEN.

